Very nice! Too many times I see "western" layouts that are far too green, looking like they are set on the east coast. Having lived in California I am happy to see such a nicely model layout of the area. Good work!
Incredible work, Eugen. I would remark on one detail: At the Caliente Store, the propane tank and gas pumps would need steel posts as “bumpers”, since they’re in parking areas. (Your 18-wheelers and the late-1990s-early -2000s F-150 pickup behind the store suggest you era is recent enough such that the store would be required to have that.) I agree with Espeeman - your scene captures the flavor of the arid southwestern US extremely well.
The flange oiler scene looks great Eugen! That's a detail I don't think I have seen modeled before. Most excellent!
Eugen, VERY nice work, captures the area for sure! As for "western" layouts that are far too green, allow me to submit exhibit "A".... Santa Margarita Sub on "Cuesta" near Serrano.
Such a great scene, Eugen! I became VERY familiar with Mojave, CA one day long ago, as I was driving from Sacramento to Arizona for college at the end of summer. I had the car all packed to the roof with my stuff when about a mile out from Mojave my engine blew. I was able to coast into town from the hill, oil smoke pluming from the car. I called my folks from the nearest pay phone to let them know I was stranded. They hopped in their van to get me, but from Sacramento that would take several hours so I just walked around Mojave to kill time, watched SP operations for quite a while, sat in a couple diners for some air conditioning to cool off. Eventually my parents got there. (no cell phones back then, so what coordination!) My dad was in the Air Force at the time so he hooked us up with a stay at Edwards AFB for the night before driving me the rest of the way to school. Anyway, your scene is not too far from where all that happened so your scenery really takes me back. I love how your backdrop is from your prototype photo of Caliente, too. Nice job!! -Mike
Wow! Sure, the color is striking, but what an exquisite example of bore, cut and fill, to create a railway through rolling terrain!
For Western, particularly California, scenery, one needs to understand the non-desert/non-mountain areas are in a Mediterranean climate, which means, it only rains during part of the year (Mostly Winter, sometimes Spring, and never rains in the Summer and rarely rains in the Fall). So the green is very seasonal (yes we do have seasons in California...) you can definitely have green vegetation in California, but the setting would likely be between January and May. So if you ever see photos of the Tehachapi Loop with lots of green grass, then those photos were taken in late Winter-early Spring. Also, Cuesta Grade is green because the hillsides regularly get coastal fog moisture. In the Summer, this fog is not as common and the hillsides dry up.
When were you there ? I've met a few guys from Switzerland at the loop ... and saw them again at Sacramento Museum.